Something to do when you’re feeling bored and computer games have not bee invented yet.
How to Solve Peg Solitaire Puzzle
Peg Solitaire is a game played on a wooden board with lines of holes that have pegs in them. In the classical version of the game the 32 pegs are placed in a cross pattern, leaving the hole in the middle of the board empty. The player is allowed to move up and down, left and right, jumping over a peg, which is then removed from the board. You can start with any peg you want, but the rule is that you need to land on an empty space, which doesn’t leave you many options. Since at the beginning the only empty space is that in the middle you will have to start with a peg in that area.
You can, of course, try to solve this puzzle by using random moves, but this might give you quite a headache as you’ll soon find it impossible to make a new move.
The best solution is to start by focusing on the areas that are further from the centre and try to clear all the pegs there before moving to another part of the board. For instance, focus on eliminating the pegs in the lower part of the board, calculating each move to empty some spaces to be able to do your jumps.
Peg Solitaire Puzzle Version
The puzzle with the cross-shaped pattern is also known as the English version, while in the European variant the holes and pegs are displayed in an oval shape. Other popular versions of the starting pattern shape are triangle, hexagon and diamond. Obviously, you can find Peg Solitaire Puzzle online and, even better, there are many tutorials offering the winning strategy.
History of the Peg Solitaire Puzzle
It’s hard to say when this game was invented, but the oldest reference to it can be traced to the times of King Louis XIV of France. An engraving dated 1687 presents a princess at the court with a Peg Solitaire puzzle on the table beside her. That’s probably why the game is also known as Solo Noble, as it was a pastime for noble people.